Signs/Headscratchers: Difference between revisions

*** It's also possible that the attack ''itself'' was not the original plan, since they seem to be on a spy or fact-finding mission, and this is why they're so ill-equipped. Someone in charge goofed or went crazy. They never came to invade. Like the military guy said, it was obviously all reconaissance (sp?). As for the ones who attacked the farm house and especially the kidnapping: they were very likely out for ''revenge'' against the guy who mangled one of them.

**** It is specifically stated to be a raid and NOT an invasion. They are out to capture humans in a fair condition, albeit dead. If they used advanced weapons then then will be damaging what they are after but also it may force the world into a state of panic and they may arm nukes. The aliens were dumbing their combat down to an appropriate level so that the humans would respond in kind.

**** Who says they even have all this stuff? We tend to assume "if A then B" for all aliens based on our example. In this case, "if spaceships then rayguns". They may not have any ranged weaponry at all. Read ''The Road Not Taken'' by Harry Turtledove for an example of a race that has only advanced in one area.

****** If you can invoke Turtledove, I can invoke Niven: *any* means of propulsion can also serve as a weapon. If they have the means to transport ships across lightyears in the multiples, they have the technology for WMDs, too. And in general, it greatly stretches credibility that they can develop the means to cross the stars, without developing the idea of life support suits, or weapons, or any kind of comprehensible military tactics, or any of the other sciences and technologies that are vastly easier to develop.

* This was taken off the main page, so I'll put it here instead. So it's established that there are no coincidences -- it was a tagline for the film, if I recall correctly -- leaving us to conclude that God is responsible for basically everything in it. And if this is true, he is the ''epitome'' of jerkassery. He traumatizes an entire family and an Indian veterinarian in various ways before the movie even starts -- ''then'' either sends or, through omission of action, ''allows'' a significant portion of humanity to be abducted by aliens. All so he can save Mel Gibson's son from the asthma he ''gave him in the first place'' and somehow restore Mel's faith in God in the process. Would've made more sense if he'd hated God ''more'' than he did at the start, because his theory of random chance went out the window, making it entirely clear that there ''was'' a directing force behind all the crappy stuff that happens to him and his family and the entire world. Absolute wallbanger.

** "God exists" doesn't mean "God is nice." The big guy might just want people to believe in him, even if it means screwing them over. Sure, Mel might hate God, but when you know that some omnipotent being controls everything what options do you have other than trying to stay on his good side?

* When the Reverend Graham and Merill are boarding up Bo's bedroom, look closly. The door goes inwards and there is a cab caused by the frame of the door between said door and the boards. And the wer'nt. even that many boards. In conclution, the aliens would still be able to get in through that door.

* What exactly were the military and police forces doing during this time? The movie makes only one mention of them the entire time, during the final newscast in which it is mentioned that ground forces are being mobilized across the globe. Yet, later, Merrill states that "a lot of people died". How, exactly? The aliens/demons really weren't that impressive. I've heard theories that perhaps they used very large amounts of their poison on population centers, but there's no mention of it. And again, where was the military?